The Scoop on Adrenal Fatigue
by Rochelle Griffin
Adrenal fatigue…it’s the latest buzzword used by many today, but is it actually real? The short answer is YES. Adrenal fatigue is a very real condition and is considered to be a 21st century epidemic. In fact, there’s a good chance that YOU are dealing with it right now and don’t even know it! Yep.
Our adrenals are two tiny glands, one on the top of each of our kidneys. Their function is to help our body cope with stress and to survive. They achieve this by regulating and secreting hormones, including cortisol (our stress hormone.) These hormones help regulate all of the major processes in our body.
The problem is that with chronic stress, over time our adrenals become tired, exhausted if you will, and don’t function in the way they were designed. They can’t excrete cortisol and the other hormones as efficiently as they once did. When this occurs, we start to not feel well. It happens gradually, so our symptoms may be vague at first, but over time (and this can take years) they will become more pronounced.
Oh and Ladies, our adrenal glands are also responsible for approximately 35% of our sex hormones when we’re pre-menopausal. Once we are post-menopausal, it increases to approximately 50%! These are not glands that we want fatigued!
See if any of these signs and symptoms resonate with you?
- Tired all the time
- Inability to lose weight
- Unable to sleep at night
- Moodiness
- Cry easily
- Craving carbohydrates or sugar
- Low sex drive
- Anxious feeling
- Poor memory
- Inability to concentrate
If so (and this is just a short list,) you may have adrenal fatigue and imbalanced hormones. Unfortunately, in our society today, many symptoms listed are considered “common” and are believed to be normal. This acceptance makes me so angry!
Please lean in close as you read this… Symptoms of ANY kind are NOT normal! Our bodies are made to be symptom-free!
Did you read that? Read it again as it may very well set you free.
I can personally tell you that I had every single symptom listed above, and I was flat-out miserable. I’m in my mid-40s & was shocked when 20 lbs. slowly crept on despite working out 6 days a week and eating healthy (honest engine!) I thought that this is what it means when people talk about “middle age” and all the lovely stuff that comes along with it.
I was wrong. Adrenal fatigue was the culprit.
Once I started therapeutic intervention, all (yes you read that correctly…all) symptoms lessened & eventually went away!
So how do you find out if you are dealing with adrenal fatigue? It’s actually a simple, painless saliva test that you can do in the comfort of your own home. Your saliva is tested for cortisol production throughout your day. Based on the results, you’ll find out if you are in adrenal fatigue, and if you are, what stage it is. (BTW, I was in Stage 3…the worst stage possible!)
Once you have answers, a personalized protocol can then be designed for you using a 5-pronged holistic approach, including diet, rest, exercise, stress reduction, and supplements.
Please remember that you should not be dealing with any vague symptoms regardless of your age. Refuse to accept them as normal and stop sweeping them under the rug. There ARE answers for you. Your health & well-being are important, and You Are So Worth It!
To Living Your Best Life,
Rochelle Griffin, RN BSN FDN-P
Rochelle Griffin, The Wellness Detective™, is a Registered Nurse (with over 22 years experience) & a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition™ Practitioner who has transitioned her love for fitness, health, & freedom into a 7-figure International company that now helps others live Their Best Life.
She founded Your Best Life, Inc with her husband Keith after stepping onto the edge of physical ruin with her health & the health of their young son. Having experienced a complete turn-around, they now desire to give hope & support to those who are dissatisfied with their current situation.
PS. If you found this post to be of any value to you, please COMMENT below!
Very interesting. I have almost every symptom. How do I do the saliva test?
Hi Dawn! If you live in the US or Canada, this is something that I can do for you! All info is on my Functional Nutrition page: http:rochellegriffin.com/fdn
Please let me know where can I get the saliva test. My doctors say I’m fine, but I continue with fatigue and no energy. I want to be myself again. Thank you!
Morning Alicia! Yep that sounds like adrenal fatigue. Symptoms are vague like that. If you live in the US or Canada, this is something that I can do for you! All info is on my Functional Nutrition page: http:rochellegriffin.com/fdn
It’s funny, I’ve been dealing with this since my 2nd yr of high school, even now, and I’m 4 yrs into college. I thought it might be my adrenaline or part of my nervous system but wasn’t sure where to start. Still exactly don’t.
Hi Samantha! The place to start is with a consultation with me. After we talk and I get an in-depth assessment of what’s going on, we will know which tests are appropriate for you and get you on the road to healing. It’s common for symptoms to start in school when we’re under a lot of pressure to succeed. Blessings!
This topic should be definitely educated to all women. It seems we are always taking care of others and shrugging off symptoms and then we (and our family pay the consequences). Let’s take back our health! Thanks for this post Rochelle!
Hi There
I have been diagnosed with this and have been on all sorts of medicne. From my HRT cream to my Nature Throid 1/2 grain and a natural steroid. I was at a level 3 too. I haven’t lost any weight at all and still struggle. And sometimes I am a pure wreck. I would like any suggestions? I will be in available for 20 days in October with no access to a computer or I would do your boot camp.
Best regards
Ladema
Ladema, still grab a spot in the Bootcamp. It will help you greatly! You’ll have access to everything even when Bootcamp is done, so you can go thru at your pace!
i have all those symptoms and wondered how to get better. The doctor says it is all from stress, that I have to learn how to minimize the stress in my life. I am a mother of 3 daughters, wife etc. I go to school full time, 13 units this semester. Sometimes have migraines Almost daily. I asked my doctor about checking my hormones. She said are you still having your period regularly? I said yes. She said they we don’t need to check those. Yet I feel tired, weak, my muscles ache. I don’t want to live like this. It is not normal. I didn’t used to feel this way. This is not a life. I would like to feel energetic and normal again. What can I do? How do I do the saliva test? Thank you So Much for your help, Rochelle!!
Actually even though you still have your period, you can definitely have imbalanced hormones! Feel free to schedule a consultation and we can talk in-depth about what you’re experiencing.